Electrically operated terry motion for looms



March 15, 1966 D. P. BURGESS ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TERRY MOTION FOR LOOMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 22, 1964 Z .2 w 2/L W. i 5; m

4 INVENTORI DOUGLAS "P BLJRQE$ ATTORNEYS March 15, 1966 o. P. BURGESS 3,240,235

ELECTRICAL-LY OPERATED TERRY MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed Sept. 22, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 15, 1966 o. P. BURGESS 3,240,235

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TERRY MOTION FOR LQOMS Filed Sept. 22, 1964 5 sheets-Sheet 3 March 15, 1966 o. P. BURGESS ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TERRY MOTION FOR LOOMS 5 Sheets-heet 4.

Filed Sept. 22, 1964 INVENTOR bouquxs? Buxaqrsss ATTORNEYS March 15, 1966 D. P. BURGESS 3,240,235

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TERRY MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed Sept. 22, 1964 5 sheet-sheez 5 TERRY WARP LET 0 PF J CLOTH 22 ED TAKE Up J g I] 212 :20 EEEB INVENTOR:

\ E1 7- DOLIQLAS P Emzqess -l-qg wi ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,240,235 ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TERRY MOTION FOR LOOMS Douglas P. Burgess, Woodleaf, N.C., assignor to Cannon Mills Company, Kannapolis, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Sept. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 398,238 3 Claims. (Cl. 13925) This invention relates to looms for weaving terry cloth and, more particularly, to improved pattern controlled means for controlling the terry warp let-off means, the cloth take-up means, and the means effecting variation between the beat-up point of the loom reed and the fell of the cloth being woven.

This application is a continuation-impart of my copending application Serial No. 347,154, filed February 25, 1964 and entitled Terry Weaving Apparatus.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide pattern controlled electrically operable means for controlling the various elements of the terry motion of a terry weaving loom so as to eliminate many of the parts of and consequent lost motion in the linkage usually provided for controlling the terry motion.

A more specific object is to provide independently electrically operable means, under control of a pattern device, for varying the displacement between the beat-up point of the reed and the fell of the cloth, controlling operation of the cloth take-up means, and controlling operation of the terry warp let-off means of a terry weaving loom.

Another object is to provide an improved pattern device for controlling operation of each of said electrically operable means and which pattern device is particularly devised to accommodate an endless pattern strip or tape of any desired effective length so that the pattern strip will complete exactly one revolution in effecting each repeat pattern in the operation of the loom, and wherein the pattern device and its pattern strip may be entirely enclosed to prevent accumulation of lint and other foreign matter thereon.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a terry loom equipped with my improved terry motion and showing the pattern device and the electrically operated terry warp let-off and cloth take-up means, in particular;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front elevation, partially in section, taken substantially along line 22 in FIGURE 1, and showing my improved electrically operable variable beat-up mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan view taken substantially along line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary transverse vertical sectional views, mostly in elevation, taken substantially along the respective lines 44-, 5-5, 66 and 77 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a schematic view of the loom looking toward the left from the right-hand side thereof in FIGURE FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of the pattern device, looking at the opposite side thereof from that shown in FIGURE 1, and at the front thereof, with parts broken away for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 1tl10 in FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 11 is an electrical circuit showing the connections between the pattern device and electrically ice operable elements which respond to the pattern device for controlling the variable beat-up mechanism, the cloth takeup means and the terry warp let-off means.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the frame of the terry loom equipped with the present invention includes side frame members 10, 10' (FIGURES 1, 2 and 3) connected to opposite ends of transverse beams or frame members 11, 12, 13. The upper ends of a pair of intermediate frame members or cam shaft braces 16 are secured to transverse frame member 14, only one of the intermediate frame members 16 being shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The lower portions of each intermediate frame member 16, and a pair of middle girts 17, 17', are connected to the front and rear bottom transverse frame members 11, 12.

The loom includes the usual ground warp beam 20 from which ground warps G are drawn upwardly over suitable guide rolls 21 and then extend forwardly through corresponding heddles or harnesses 23 which are raised and lowered in the usual manner, by harness cams 18 (FIG- URES 2 and 3), to form ground warps G and corresponding terry warps T into a shed extending through a reed 24 and over a lay 25. The cloth C formed by the beat-up strokes of reed 24 is taken up by a sand roll or cloth take-up roll 27 and a press roll 3i (FIGURE 8) and then passes downwardly and is taken up on a cloth roll 31.

As is usual, take-up roll 27 is suitably journaled in the loom frame and is driven by conventional gearing, not shown, connecting the same with a cloth take-up or ratchet mechanism 32 (FIGURE 1) including a ratchet wheel 33, a take-up pawl 34 pivotally mounted on a rocker arm 35, a hold-back pawl 36 and a pawl lifting lever 37. Pawl lifting lever 37 is pivotally mounted on side frame member 10 and extends beneath feed pawl 34 so that, upon lever 37 being moved upwardly, either manually or by means peculiar to the present invention, pawl 34 is raised out of engagement with ratchet wheel 33.

The means for manually operating pawl 37 conveniently includes a link 40 whose upper end is suitably connected to a medial portion of lifter lever 37 and whose lower end is connected to a crank 41 which extends forwardly and is pivotally mounted on the lower portion of side frame member 10. The rear portion of crank 41 has a downwardly extending arm 42 thereon which may be engaged by the foot of the operator for swinging the same rearwardly, with the result that crank 41 is pivoted upwardly to move link 40 and pawl 37 therewith and, in turn, to move feed pawl 34 out of engagement with ratchet wheel 33. Pawl rocker arm 35 reciprocates in the usual manner in timed relation to operation of the loom for intermittently advancing ratchet wheel 33 in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 1 to take up the cloth a predetermined distance normally during each pick of the loom. Since the parts of the ratchet mechanism or cloth take-up mechanism 32 and the operating means therefor are of conventional construction, a further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The terry warps T are drawn from a suitable terry Warp beam 44 journaled on standards 45 carried by side frame members 10, 16'. Terry warps T extend downwardly from beam 44 (FIGURES 1 and 8) and pass beneath and substantially halfway around a terry let-off or slacking roll 46, then upwardly and over a press roll 47, and then downwardly beneath a guide roll 5i and forwardly through corresponding harnesses 23 and reed 24 to the cloth C. Rolls 46, 47 also are journaled on standards 45. One end of terry let-off roll 46 is provided with a ratchet mechanism including a ratchet wheel 51 and a terry let-off pawl 52. As usual, pawl 52 normally imparts stepwise rotation to ratchet wheel 51 and terry let-off roll 46 so as to advance or slacken the terry warps T relative to the ground warps G during the course of each fast-pick beat up stroke of reed 24. The means for reciprocating pawl 52 in timed relation to operation of reed 24 and lay 25, as well as means for controlling operation of ratchet mechanism 51, 52 in accordance with the present invention, will be later described.

conventionally, the loom includes a pair of lay swords 54, 54 whose lower ends are mounted on stub shafts 55, 55' journaled on loom side frame members 10, 10'. Enlarged medial portions of swords 54, 54' are loosely penetrated by a main cam shaft 56 jo-urnaled in side frame members 10, 10' and on cam shaft braces 16. Main cam shaft 56 is driven by the usual motor, not shown, and drives a conventional hand-wheel shaft 57 (FIGURE 1).

As is usual, shafts 56, 57 rotate one revolution during each pick of the loom, during which shaft 56 imparts one oscillatory or beat-up motion to reed 24 and lay 25 through the medium of suitable earns 60, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 4, and the swords 54, 54'. The manner in which cams 60 transmit oscillation to swords 54, 54' is conventional and fully disclosed in my said copending application. Accordingly, a detailed illustration and description thereof is deemed unnecessary. Lay 25 is fixed on a lay beam 61 secured to the upper portions of swords 54, 54'. 1

Harness earns 18 are fixed on a harness or terry cam shaft 63 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 6) spaced below and extend ing parallel with main cam shaft 56 and being journaled in middle girts 17, 17. Conventional gearing, not shown, in a gear box 64, transmits rotation from main cam shaft 56 to harness cam shaft 63 and causes shaft 63 to rotate one revolution for each three revolutions of main cam shaft 56, as is usual in weaving a three-pick terry cloth. It is to be understood, however, that shaft 63 may be caused to rotate at other speeds relative to main cam shaft 56 if it is desired that a greater number of picks are to be cast and beat-up by reed 24 during each terry cycle.

The means for varying the relative position between the beat-up point of the reed and the fell of the cloth, as is necessary in terry weaving, is similar, in some respects to the variable beat-up mechanism disclosed in said copending application. In this instance, the upper portion of reed 24 is journaled, as at 66, on the upper ends of swords 54, 54'. In order to swing reed 24 between partial beatup and full beat-up positions relative to lay 25, opposite ends of reed 24 have brackets 76, 76 projecting downwardly and rearwardly therefrom (FIGURES 2 and 4) which are spaced inwardly from the respective swords 54, 54 and have respective pins or followers 77, 77 projecting laterally or outwardly therefrom toward the respective swords.

Mounted for predetermined substantially vertical linear movement between the lower portions of brackets 76, 76 and swords 44, 44 are respective cam blocks 80, 80, each of which is provided with an elongate slot 81 (FIG- URE 4) and which slots are loosely penetrtaed by the corresponding followers 77, 77'. Opposed walls of each slot 81 thus serve as cam surfaces. Slot 81 (FIGURE extends at an angle, preferably of about 45, with respect to the vertical plane, of the front face of reed 24.

In this instance, slot 81 diverges downwardly with respect to the front face of reed 24 so that upward movement of cam blocks 80, 80', with the lower walls of slots 81 engaging followers 77, 77', imparts predetermined rearward shifting or swinging movement to reed 24 away from lay 25. Conversely, with downward linear movement of cam blocks 80, 80' relative to reed 24, reed 24 is swung forwardly into close proximity to lay 25; i.e., t0 the full beat-up position relative to lay 25.

Electrically operable means is provided for raising and lowering cam blocks 80, 80 to, in turn, swing the reed 24 between partial beat-up and full beat-up positions. To this end, cam blocks 80, 80 are suitably secured to the upper ends of respective thrust rods 85, 85 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 4) whose upper portions are guided for vertical sliding movement adjacent the proximal surfaces of swords 54, 54, as by guide blocks 86, 86. Thrust rods 85, are each shown as being of two-piece construction and the lower portions thereof extend inwardly and downwardly at an angle and extend substantially parallel to the swords 54, 54' and have suitable yokes 87, 87' on the lower ends thereof which straddle and are guided for vertical sliding movement on the corresponding swordsupporting stub shafts 55, 55.

A rocker shaft 90 is suitably journaled on cam braces 16 and middle girt 17 above main cam shaft 56. Rocker shaft 90 extends transversely of the loom and opposed ends thereof terminate inwardly of proximal surfaces of swords 54, 54 (FIGURES 2 and 3). Opposite ends of rocker shaft 90 have longitudinally slotted cranks 93, 93 fixed thereon and projecting forwardly therefrom (FIG- URES 2, 3 and 4) to which the upper ends of respective extensibly adjustable connecting rods or links 94, 94 are pivotally and adjustably connected.

The lower ends of links 94, 94' are pivotally connected to the lower portions of the respective thrust rods 85, 85'.- It is apparent that the upper ends of connecting rods 94,. 94' may be adjusted relative to cranks 93, 93' in accord ance with the desired amount of vertical reciprocatory' movement to be imparted to the thrust rods 85, 85 and the corresponding cam blocks 80, 80, thereby determining the amount of movement to be imparted to reed 24 with each forward and rearward stroke thereof relative to lay 25. Further, the links or connecting rods 94, 94' may be adjusted longitudinally to determine the optimum position of reed 24 with respect to lay 25 when reed 24 occupies either its partial or its full beat-up position.

As best shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 6, rocker shaft 90 has an additional crank or member 96 fixed thereon and extending forwardly therefrom. The bifurcated front portion of crank 96 loosely straddles the upper end of an elongate substantially upright latch arm or link 100 whose front upper portion is provided with a notch 101 therein whose upper and lower walls serve as abutment means or cam surfaces and normally engage upper and lower surfaces of a transverse bar, pin or rod 102, which also serves as abutment means, during the weaving of terry cloth. Bar 102 is positioned in and suitably secured to the bifurcated front portion of crank 96. It is apparent from the foregoing description that crank 96 is operatively connected to reed 24 for fixed proportional movement with respect to the reed and in a substantially vertical plane.

The lower end of latch 100 is pivotally connected to the front portion of a follower arm, member or lever 103, preferably by means of a shaft or bolt 104 fixed to follower arm 103 and loosely penetrating the lower end of latch 100, so that a torsion spring 105 may be used for normally urging latch 100 forwardly to the solid line position shown in FIGURE 6. By referring to FIGURE 2, it is apparent that the right-hand end of spring 105 is fixed to the lower end of latch 10%? and the left-hand end of spring 105 may be fixed to the head of bolt 104.

Follower arm 103 extends rearwardly and is pivotally connected, as at 106, to middle girt 17. A medial portion of follower arm 103 has a follower 107 thereon which engages an irregular groove 110 in one side of a rotary terry cam 111 in the form of a face cam wheel (FIGURE 6).

It is apparent that, while latch 100 occupies the active: or solid line position shown in FIGURE 6 during opera-- tion of the loom, cam wheel 111 shifts reed 24 forwardly and rearwardly at predetermined intervals as is usual in the weaving of terry cloth. For example, when cam follower 107 occupies the lowered position in which it is. shown in FIGURE 6, cam block 80 of FIGURE 4 alsooccupies a lowered position in which the reed occupies a forward or full beat-up position closely adjacent the lay 25 for beating up a fast pick. On the other hand, when the cam wheel 111 raises follower 107, latch 100 moves. bar 102 and crank 96 upwardly in FIGURE 6, thus irn.

parting corresponding upward movement to the two cam blocks 8t 813' in FIGURES 2 and 4 so that reed 24 then occupies the rearward or partial beat-up position shown in FIGURE 4.

As is well known in the weaving of a three-pick terry cloth, reed 24 may occupy the partial beat-up position during two successive beat-up strokes of reed 24 in each terry cycle, in the course of which so-called loose picks are beat up by reed 24. Then, to complete the terry cycle, the high portion of cam groove 110 moves follower 107, lever 1tl3 and latch 16% downwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 6, thus moving cam block St) downwardly to move reed 24 to the full beat-up position relative to lay 25 so the reed subsequently heats up a fast pick.

A yieldable bumper 112 (FIGURES 2 and 7), made from rubber or the like, may be suitably adjustably supported on girt 17 so as to be engaged by an arm 113, fixed on shfit 99, to partially absorb the shock of each upward stroke of follower lever 1113, cam blocks 89, 80' and intervening elements therebetween.

According to the present invention, pattern controlled electrically operable means are provided for controlling operation of the variable beat-up or reed shifting mechanism so as to weave predetermined spaced non-terry portions or headers of predetermined length between successive terry pile portions in the cloth. To this end, the novel latch 190 has one end of a link 115 pivotally connected thereto, as at 116. Link 115 extends rearwardly and is pivotally connected to the front end of the plunger 117 of an electromagnetic device or solenoid 120 suitably secured to transverse frame member 12, as by means of a bracket 121 (FIGURES 3 and 6). The coil of solenoid 120 is normally deenergized or inactive so torsion spring 195 (FIGURE 2) normally maintains latch 106 in the active solid-line position shown in FIGURE 6. The coil of solenoid 129 is electrically connected to an electrically operable pattern device 122, peculiar to the present invention, for energizing or activating solenoid 129 at predetermined intervals of predetermined duration.

Whenever solenoid 120 is activated, plunger 117 moves rearwardly or to the right in FIGURE 6, thus moving latch 190 to the inactive broken-line position shown in FIGURE 6. This occurs at an instant during which reed 24 occupies full beat-up position relative to lay 25 and during which latch 113i) and follower arm 193 occupy the lowered position shown in FIGURE 6. Although cam wheel 111 continues to rotate one revolution during every three picks of the loom, when latch 11%] is out of engagement with bar 1112, latch 100 and follower arm 1G3 simply reciprocate relative to bar 102 and crank 96 until solenoid 129 is deactivated. Pattern device 122 will be later described.

In order that the terry warps T are slackened in proper timed relation to the movement of reed 24 from the partial beat-up position to the full beat-up position, harness cam shaft 63 has an eccentric terry let-off cam 130 fixed thereon adjacent terry cam 111. The peripheral surface of cam 13% is engaged by a follower 131 mounted on one end of a crank 132 fixed on an auxiliary rocker shaft 133 (FIGURES 2, 3 and 5). Rocker shaft 133 is journaled in suitable bearings carried by one of the cam braces 16 and side frame member 10 (FIGURE 3).

Rocker shaft 133 has the front end of a lever 136 fixed thereon (FIGURES 1, 2 and 3) whose rear end has a longitudinally extending adjustment slot 137 therein (FIGURE 1) for pivotally and adjustably connecting the lower end of a connecting rod 140 thereto, as at 141. Connecting rod 141} extends upwardly and is pivotally connected to a pawl carrier or bell crank 142 journaled on one end of terry warp feed roll 46 (FIG- URE 8) and on which pawl 52 is pivotally mounted (FIGURE 1). Pawl 52 is normally urged into engagement with ratchet wheel 51 by a spring 0 (FIGURE 1). Terry warp let-otf cam 130 is so arranged relative to terry cam 111 as to impart an inactive and then an active stroke to pawl 52 and advance terry warps T relative to ground warps G during a beat-up stroke of lay 25 in which reed 24 occupies full beat-up position.

In order to control the terry warp let-off mechanism so terry warps T are not let oil relative to ground warps G during the weaving of non-terry portions or headers in the cloth C, according to the present invention, pawl 52 is connected to the plunger 145 of an electromagnetic device or solenoid 146 by means of a tension spring 147. A link may be used in place of tension spring 147, if desired. However, tension spring 147 permits plunger 145 to move upwardly in FIGURE 1 relative to pawl 52 whenever the coil of solenoid 146 is energized and after the pawl 52 has been raised to the limit thereof permitted by pawl carrier 142 and insures that pawl 52 remains out of engagement with ratchet wheel 51 throughout oscillation of pawl carrier 142 on terry warp let-off roll 46 during those intervals in which latch 100 (FIGURE 6) occupies inactive position. Solenoid 146 is attached to the corresponding standard 45 by a bracket 143 and is controlled by pattern mechanism 122 as will be later described.

In the transition from the weaving of plain or nonterry portions or headers to the weaving of terry cloth, it is desirable to reduce or stop the take-up of the cloth so as to avoid forming an open weave at the terminus of each non-terry portion when the read is initially swung to partial beat-up position and the first loose picks are formed in the succeeding terry-loop-forming cycle. As is well known, crank 41 is moved manually in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 1 when an operator desires to let back the cloth or to correct the cloth position in the event of a mispick, for example. Now, in order to stop the take-up of the cloth automatically in the transition from the weaving of plain cloth to the weaving of terry cloth, according to the present invention, an electromagnetic device or solenoid 150 is suitably secured to loom side frame member 10 rearwardly of the lower portion of arm 42 (FIGURE 1).

The plunger 151 of solenoid 150 has the rear end of a connecting rod or link 152 connected thereto, the front end of which is adjustably secured to the lower portion of arm 42 on crank 41. Solenoid 150 is electrically connected to pattern device 122, by means to be later described, so that it is energized and pulls plunger 151, connecting rod 152 and arm 42 rearwardly in FIG- URE 1 to raise cloth take-up pawl 34 out of engagement with ratchet wheel 33, at least during the insertion and beating-up of the loose picks occurring in the initial terry cycle of the loom following the weaving of a nonterry portion or header in the cloth. The circuit to solenoid 150 is then interrupted so the weight of crank 41 will return the parts to the position shown in FIG- URE l.

The pattern device 122 and the preferred arrangement of the electrical circuit for controlling operation of solenoids 120, 146, 150 will be presently described.

ELECTRICALLY OPERABLE PATTERN DEVICE Pattern device 122 (FIGURES 1, 9 and 10) comprises an endless pliable pattern strip P of insulation material, such as a thin film of polyethylene plastic or the like, mounted on a pattern indexing roll or drum 155 and a plurality of flanged pattern carrier rolls 156 all of which are enclosed within a substantially rectangular housing broadly designated at 157. Housing 157 comprises front and rear walls 161, 162, opposed side walls 163, 164 and top and bottom walls 165, 166, all of which may b suitably interconnected. The major portion of the outermost side wall 163 is provided with a removable cover or door 167, preferably made from a transparent or translucent material, and which is sufficiently large to enable free access to drum 155 and pattern carrier rolls 156 for installing and removing pattern strip P in housing 157.

Front wall 161 of housing 157 also may be provided with a removable cover or door 170 in the lower portion thereof. Cover 1711 also is preferably made from a suit able translucent or transparent material. Indexing roll 155 is so driven and all the rolls 155, 156 are so mounted as to facilitate positioning dilferent endless pattern strips P in a sinuous manner over the ends thereof simply by removing or opening access door 167 so as to gain access to the corresponding free ends of rolls 155, 156. Thus, all the rolls 155, 156 are mounted in a cantilevered manner as will be presently described.

Opposed side portions of pattern strip P are provided throughout with longitudinal rows of equidistantly spaced perforations p which are adapted to engage corresponding rows of circularly spaced pins p (FIGURE 11) on drum 155. Drum 155 is fixed on a transverse shaft 173 whose end adjacent outer side wall 163 is spaced from wall 163 and whose other end loosely penetrates the inner side wall 164 and is journaled in a suitable bearing 174 fixed to side Wall 164 (FIGURE 9). Shaft 173 may be provided with a suitable control knob or hand wheel 175 to facilitate manually resetting pattern strip P.

Fixed on shaft 173, between wall 164 and indexing roll 155, is an indexing gear 176 (FIGURES 9 and 10) which is a part of a Geneva motion and to which stepwise rota tion is imparted by a continuously rotating tooth member 177. Tooth member 177 is fixed on a shaft 180 (FIG- URES 1, 9 and 10) spaced rearwardly from drum 155 and suitably journaled in opposed side walls 163, 164 of housing 157. The outer end of shaft 186 has a sprocket wheel 181 fixed thereon and engaged by an endless sprocket chain 182 which also engages a sprocket wheel 183. Sprocket wheel 183 is fixed on hand wheel shaft 57. Since the loom is arranged for weaving a three-pick terry, in this instance, and hand wheel shaft 57 rotates one revolution during each pick of the loom, sprocket wheel 181 is preferably three times as large as sprocket wheel 183 so as to impart one revolution to shaft 180 and tooth member 177 (FIGURE 10) during each three-pick cycle of the loom. It is apparent, therefore, that tooth memher 177 imparts a stepwise movement to gear 176, shaft 173, drum 155 and pattern strip P upon every third pick of the loom. This insures that the pattern device may always remain in proper timed relation to the loom for weaving three-pick terry cloth, for example. However, it is apparent that the relative sizes of sprocket wheels 1811, 183 may be changed if it is found desirable to advance the pattern strip P at intervals of more or less than three picks.

A yieldable restraining means is provided for preventing unintentional rotation of drum 155 whenever it is not being advanced by movement of tooth member 177 in engagement with one of the teeth of gear 176. To this end, a lever 186 (FIGURES 9 and 10) is pivottally mounted on inner side wall 164, as at 187, and its longitudinally slotted front portion has a follower b adjustably mounted thereon which is adapted to engage between successive teeth of gear 176 in the intervals between each successive stepwise movement of gear 176. Follower b may be maintained in engagement with gear 176 by a tension spring 190, one end of which is connected to a medial portion of lever 186 and the other end of which is connected to the bottom wall 166 of housing 157.

An important advantage in the pattern device 122 of this invention is that, in order to weave towels of different lengths and/ or having different patterns, endless pattern strips of corresponding different lengths and/or patterns are easily installed on or removed from the pattern device 1 22. Thus, it is possible to store a large number of such different pattern strips P in a small area and to schedule such pattern strips to be used at certain times according to the customers demands. In order to employ pattern strips of different lengths, all the pattern carrier rolls 156 are mounted for relative adjustment on the inner side wall 164 of housing 157. To this end, it will be observed in 8 FIGURES l, 9 and 10 that the inner side wall 164 has a plurality of elongate substantially vertically disposed channel bars or flanged supports 195 suitably secured thereto in side-by-side relationship, there being three such channel bars 195 shown and each of which carries three of the carrier rolls 156 in this instance.

The upper and lower ends of each channel bar are secured to side wall 64 as by screws 200. The upper ends of channel bars 195 may be positioned against or in close proximity to top wall 165 of housing 157, and the lower ends of channel bars 195 terminate above lever 186 so they will not interfere with operation of lever 186.

The side flanges of each channel bar 195 bear against the inner surface of inner side wall 164, and the web of each channel bar 195 is provided with a longitudinally or vertically extending slot or slots 201 for loosely receiving screws 202 on which the corresponding pattern carrier rolls 156 are mounted. In this instance, it will be noted that the pattern carrier rolls 156 mounted on the centermost channel bar 195 are staggered with respect to the rolls 156 mounted on the other channel bar 195 in FIGURES 1 and 10 although the relative positions of carrier rolls 156 may be varied as desired.

Corresponding ends of screws 202 loosely penetrate the slots 201 in corresponding channel bars 195 and are threaded into respective nuts 204 whose opposed sides engage the flanges of the corresponding channel bars 195 to prevent rotation thereof when the screws 202 are loosened for vertically adjusting corresponding pattern carrier rolls 156. It is apparent that the screws 202 may be in the form of shoulder screws, if desired, so that rolls 156 may be free to rotate thereon. However, since pattern strip P is preferably made from a thin plastic material such as polyethylene, it generally is not necessary that pattern carrier rolls 156 rotates with movement of pattern strip P in engagement therewith.

Conveniently, the two runs of pattern strip P converge adjacent the lower portion of pattern device 122 and pass beneath the shaft 180 on which tooth member 177 is mounted, thus insuring that at least half of the periphery of indexing roll 155 is engaged by pattern strip P at all times. It is thus seen that pattern carrier rolls 156 may be relatively adjusted to accommodate pattern strips P of different lengths 'and that corresponding ends of all the rolls 155, 156 are free and encumbered so that pattern strips may be easily removed from and mounted on the pattern device 122.

In order to energize solenoids 120, 146, 151 under control of pattern strip P, pattern strip P is provided with a plurality of rows of pattern openings 210 (FIGURES 9 and 10, there being one of the rows of pattern openings 210 provided for each of the solenoids 120, 146, 150. It is apparent that pattern strip P may be provided with additional rows of pattern openings along the length thereof for controlling other electrically operable elements of the loom, if desired, such as the shuttle boxes of a multiple shuttle loom, for example. Accordingly, the electrical circuit in FIG. 11 includes an additional or extra solenoid 211 which has no particular function in the present application but is shown merely to illustrate the flexibility of the pattern device 122 of the present invention.

Solenoids 120, 146, 150, 211 are positioned in a high voltage circuit and connected in parallel, by conductors 212, to respective normally inactive relays, a, 146a, 150a, 211a, the electromagnetic coils of which are positioned in a low voltage circuit and are connected in parallel, by conductors 213, to respective electrically conductive spring-loaded pattern plungers d, e, f, g. The source of current for the high voltage circuit may be of the usual alternating type and the current for the low voltage circuit may be of the pulsating direct current type or it may be in the form of a storage battery, as shown at 215 in FIGURE 11, and which is grounded, as at 216.

A suitable manually operable master switch 217 may be provided in the low voltage circuit.

The pattern plungers [-5; are positioned above pattern drum 155 and urged downwardly against the upper surface of the corresponding portion of pattern strip P or the metallic peripheral surface of drum 155, as the case may be, by respective compression springs h. Drum 155 is grounded to the loom frame, as at 218 (FIGURE 11). Plungers dg are guided for vertical sliding movement in a common insulation block 220 fixed to an insulation bracket 221 whose opposed ends extend beyond insulation block 229 and are suitably secured to opposed side walls 163, 164 of housing 157. Springs h engage the enlarged lower portions of corresponding plungers d-g and surround the reduced upper portions of plungers d-g, and the upper ends of spring h bear against the lower surface of bracket 221. The upper ends of plungers d-g loosely penetrate and extend upwardly above bracket 221 to facilitate connecting corresponding electrical conductors 213 thereto.

It should be noted that the pattern-operated switches, embodied in plungers d, e, f, are located remotely from the solenoids 120, 146, 150 which are located closely adjacent the latch 11 ,0, pawl 52 and arm 42 of crank 41, respectively, with only electrical circuit means, including conductors 212, 213 and relays 126a, 146a, 150a, interconnecting the pattern-operated switches and corresponding solenoids, thus eliminating mechanical parts and linkage, with attendant lost motion therein, such as have been used heretofore for connecting prior types of pattern devices to means for controlling operation of the reed-shifting, terry warp letting-01f, and cloth taking-up mechanisms of conventional terry looms.

Upon any of the pattern openings 210 in pattern strip P registering with any one of the pattern plungers dg, the corresponding relay 120a, 146a, 3:: or 211a is energized to close the circuit to the respective solenoid 12%, 146, 150 or 211. During terry weaving, pattern plungers d, e, f are maintained out of engagement With, and insulated from, drum 155 by the intermittently advanced pattern strip P so the solenoids 126, 146, 150 remain inactive and the variable beat-up mechanism (FIGURES 4 and 6), the terry warp let-olf mechanism and the cloth take-up mechanism (FIGURE 1) operate in the manner heretofore described for terry weaving.

When the pattern strip P calls for the weaving of a plain portion, non-terry portion, or header in the cloth, pattern openings 210 in pattern strip P move into registration with pattern plungers d, e to energize both solenoids 120, 146 substantially simultaneously or, at least, during the formation of the same pick of the loom. As heretofore stated, when the solenoids 120, 146 are actuated, latch 109 (FIGURE 6) is moved to the inactive broken-line position shown in FIGURE 6 and terry warp feed pawl 52 is raised out of engagement with ratchet wheel 51 (FIGURE 1) so the reed 24 remains in full beat-up position relative to lay 25 and the terry warps T advance at the same rate as the ground warps G and the cloth C.

If it is desired that a transverse or weftwise cut mark is formed adjacent the center line of each header, to facilitate cutting the cloth C into towels after it is removed from the loom, an imperforate portion of pattern strip P, between adjacent pattern openings 21!; alined with plunger d may be arranged to move into engagement With plunger 0! to release latch member 100 and effect a cycle in the shifting of reed 24 when about one-half of the corresponding header has been woven. The solenoid 146 would remain energized during this particular cycle of reed 24 so no terry loops would be formed, but instead, a weftwise thin place or cut mark would be formed. Thereafter, the trailing half of the corresponding header would be completed in the same manner as the first half of the corresponding header.

After a predetermined length of non-terry cloth has been Woven, to complete the header, pattern openings 210 in pattern strip P move out of registration with both plungers d, e to deenergize or inactivate solenoids 210, 146 during a given pick of the loom and terry Weaving is then resumed. However, substantially simultaneously with or just prior to deenergization of solenoids 120, 146, a corresponding pattern opening 210 in pattern strip P registers with pattern plunger f, permitting the same to engage pattern drum 155 and thereby energizing cloth take-up solenoid 150 to raise the cloth take-up pawl 34 (FIGURE 1) out of engagement with ratchet wheel 33. The number of picks during which the cloth take-up mechanism may remain inactive may vary on different looms and with the characteristics of the cloth being Woven, but generally, the cloth take-up mechanism remains inactive during the beat-up of the first three picks which are cast immediately following the weaving of a non-terry portion or header. Thus, in this instance, with the stepwise movement of the pattern strip P following that movement thereof in which the plunger 1 (FIGURE 11) was permitted to engage drum 155, the corresponding opening 210 moves out of registration with pattern plunger f and normal terry weaving is resumed.

In a particular shuttleless loom equipped with this invention, it was found desirable to render the cloth take-up mechanism inactive during weaving of three picks preceding an immediately subsequent terry cycle, as well as during said subsequent terry cycle, in order to avoid forming an objectionable streak or thin place across the cloth at the juncture of each header with a subsequent terry portion. There are instances when it is desirable also to render the cloth take-up mechanism inactive during the Weaving of a few picks at the end of each terry portion and the beginning of the corresponding header in order to avoid such objectionable thin places in the cloth. It is apparent that the pattern openings 210 for plunger 1 may be arranged accordingly.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved terry motion for looms including an electrically operable pattern mechanism with electrically operable means responsive to the pattern mechanism for varying the displacement between the reed 24 and the fell of the cloth being woven, for letting oif on forming slack in the terry warps T and for controlling the take-up of the cloth being woven, in predetermined sequence.

in the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a terry loom having an oscillatable reed, means for relatively varying the displacement between the beatup point of the reed and the fell of the cloth being woven, means for positively letting oft" the terry warps, and means for taking up the cloth being woven; the improvement of means for rendering said displacement varying means, said terry warp letting off means and said cloth taking up means inoperative in predetermined order for weaving headers between successive terry loop portions of the cloth and comprising a pattern device having a pattern member movable in a stepwise manner for rendering operative a plurality of electrical control circuits in predetermined order, pattern advancing means operable independently of the cloth taking up means for advancing said pattern member in direct timed relation to each of certain succesive beat-up strokes of the reed throughout operation of the loom, independently electrically operable means responsive to operation of respective control circuits by said pattern member for rendering inoperative said displacement varying means, said terry warp letting off means and said cloth taking-up means, said means for relatively varying the displacement between the reed and the fell of the cloth comprising a continuously rotating terry cam, a first horizontally extending and vertically pivoted reciprocal member operatively connected to and reciprocated in a substantially vertical plane by said terry cam, a second member spaced above said first member and being operatively connected.

through means to said reed for fixed proportional movement with respect to said reed and in a substantially vertical plane, a substantially upright link adjacent said first and second members, means connecting said link to one of said members, a first abutment means carried by the other of said members, a second abutment means carried by said link and normally disposed in the vertical plane of and engaging said first abutment means to transmit substantially vertical movement from said first member to said second member, and said independently operable responsive means comprising electromagnetic means operatively connected to said upright link for effecting movement thereof relative to the other of said abutment means such that said first and second abutment means are disposed out of vertical alignment to prevent vertical reciprocation from being imparted to said second memher by said first member.

2. In a terry loom having an oscillatable reed, and means for taking up the cloth being woven, the improvement of means for relatively varying the displacement between the beat-up point of the reed and the tell of the cloth being woven and comprising a continuously rotating terry cam, a first horizontally extending and vertically pivoted reciprocal member operatively connected to and reciprocated in a substantially vertical plane by said terry cam, a second member spaced above said first member and being operatively connected through means to said reed for fixed proportional movement with respect to said reed and in a substantially vertical plane, a substantially upright link adjacent said first and second members, means connecting said link to one of said members, a first abutment means carried by the other of said members, a second abutment means carried by said link and normally disposed in the vertical plane of an engaging said first abutment means to transmit substantially vertical movement from said first member to said second member, a pattern device having a pattern member movable in a stepwise manner for rendering operative a plurality of electrical circuits in predetermined order, pattern advancing means operable independently of the cloth taking-up means for advancing said pattern member in timed relation to each of certain sucecssive beat-up strokes of the reed, electromagnetic means operatively connected to said upright link and being responsive to operation of one of the circuits by said pattern member for effecting movement thereof relative to said first abutment means such that said first and second abutment means are disposed out of vertical alignment to prevent vertical reciprocation from being imparted to said second member by said first member to thereby render inoperative said displacement varying means.

3. In a terry loom having an oscillatable reed, means for varying the relative displacement between the beatup point of the reed and the fell of the cloth being woven comprising a continuously rotating terry cam, a first horizontally extending and vertically pivoted reciprocal member connected to and reciprocated by said terry cam, a second member spaced above said first member and connected through means to said reed for fixed proportional movement therewith in a substantially vertical plane, a substantially upright link adjacent said first and second members, means connecting said link to one of said members, first and second abutment means carried by the other of said members and by said link, respectively, and normally disposed in vertical alignment so said first abutment means transmits substantially vertical movement from said first to said second member, a pattern member movable in a stepwise manner in direct timed relation to each of certain successive beat-up strokes of the reed throughout operation of the loom for rendering operative a plurality of electrical control circuits in predetermined order, and electromagnetic means responsive to operation of at least one of said control circuits and being connected to saidtupright link for effecting movement thereof relative to the other abutment means such that said first and second abutment means are disposed out of vertical alignment to prevent vertical reciprocation from being imparted to said second member by said first member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,592,625 7/1926 Davidson 139-25 1,837,487 12/1931 Reynolds et al 139-317 1,901,769 3/1933 Parker 13925 2,250,833 7/1941 I-llill 13925 2,696,092 12/1954 Miller 13933O X 3,136,342 6/1964 Short 139-26 FOREIGN PATENTS 854,919 7/1949 Germany 139-317 293,484 7/1928 Great Britain 139--125 ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary examiner.

DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner. 

3. IN A TERRY LOOM HAVING AN OSCILLATABLE REED, MEANS FOR VARYING THE RELATIVE DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN THE BEATUP POINT OF THE REED AND THE FELL OF THE CLOTHL BEING WOVEN COMPRISING A CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING TERRY CAM, A FIRST HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING AND VERTICALLY PIVOTED RECIPROCAL MEMBER CONNECTED TO AND RECIPROCATED BY SAID TERRY CAM, A SECOND MEMBER SPACED ABOVE SAID FIRST MEMBER AND CONNECTED THROUGH MEANS TO SAID REED FOR FIXED PROPORTIONAL MOVEMENT THEREWITH IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE, A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT LINK ADJACENT SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS, MEANS CONNECTING SAID LINK TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, FIRST AND SECOND ABUTMENT MEANS CARRIED BY THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS AND BY SAID LINK, RESPECTIVELY, AND NORMALLY DISPOSED IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT TO SAID FIRST ABUTMENT MEANS TRANSMITS SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL MOVEMENT FROM SAID FIRST TO SAID SECOND MEMBER, A PATTERN MEMBER MOVABLE IN A STEPWISE MANNER IN DIRECT TIMED RELATION TO EACH OF CERTAIN SUCCESSIVE BEAT-UP STOKES OF THE REED THROUGHOUT OPERATION OF THE LOOM FOR RENDERING OPERATIVE A PLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUITS IN PREDETERMINED ORDER, AND ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS RESPONSIVE TO OPERATION OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID CONTROL CIRCUITS AND BEING CONNECTED TO SAID UPRIGHT LINK FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT THEREOF RELATIVE TO THE OTHER ABUTMENT MEANS SUCH THAT SAID FIRST AND SECOND ABUTMENT MEANS ARE DISPOSED OUT OF VERTICAL ALIGNMENT TO PREVENT VERTICAL RECIPROCATION FROM BEING IMPARTED TO SAID SECOND MEMBER BY SAID FIRST MEMBER. 